Super Ben Stokes is the hero for England with bat and ball

78no plus key wickets see off Windies, but there are injury fears for the series decider

Ben Stokes winces as the ball strikes him on the final day of the second Test against West Indies. Picture: Getty.

Ben Stokes’ brilliance took a familiar spot in centre stage as England levelled their series against the West Indies with a 113-run victory late on the final day of the second Test.

Stokes backed up his first-innings 176 with an adrenaline-fuelled 78 not out that cemented a dominant lead of 311, and picked up two vital wickets as England finished their opponents off for 198.

Stuart Broad, who conjured a superb three-wicket blast with the new ball, had suggested his side could “take a risk” with their morning declaration but Stokes ensured no such gamble would be necessary.

Having been bumped up to open on Sunday evening for the first time in his professional career, he pounded 62 from 39 balls to claim the lion’s share of an 11-over onslaught that added 92 runs to the lead.

That left 85 overs to bowl the tourists out and they did it in just over 70, Broad leading from the front while Chris Woakes, Stokes, Sam Curran and Dom Bess all played their part in a strong team effort.

Bess finished things off just as the rain-affected game entered its final hour but England may yet reflect on Stokes’ dismissal of Jermaine Blackwood with the final ball of a wearying afternoon session as the turning point.

He was injured late on, pulling up mid-over but refusing to leave the field, and his availability for Friday’s series decider provides further intrigue.

Stokes had been fighting fit in a one-sided first hour, ruthlessly de-fanging a high-class seam attack. Resuming alongside Joe Root on 37 for two, 219 ahead, he hit top gear almost immediately, smashing three sweetly-timed sixes over long-off and adding four fours.

He connected with brute force but precise placement and whenever either was a fraction off, he ran insatiably to make up for it. Root was largely content to give him the strike and was eventually run out for 22 in the attempt.

Root allowed the innings to run an over or two longer than he might have, but questions over his timing diminished when his new-ball bowlers ripped through the top three inside nine overs.

Broad found the fresh Dukes to his liking and his fifth ball invited John Campbell to drive but shaved the outside edge on its way through.

Kraigg Brathwaite was a more important scalp and it was Woakes who claimed it, beating the batsman off the surface and pinning him clean in front for 12. That left England well in front but Broad was not finished yet, zoning back in on the perfect line and length and making a mess of Shai Hope’s stumps. A lunch score of 25 for three completed an emphatic two hours’ work.

Roston Chase exited meekly after the restart as Broad jagged one into his front pad on his way to figures of three for 42.

A rout looked possible at 37 for four but Blackwood (55) and Shamarh Brooks (62) had their own plans. Together
they deterred England for more than 28 overs and added exactly 100 to the total.

England’s pursuit was going decidedly cold when Stokes warmed it up again, settling into a long spell of bouncers for the second time this week. He was deep into his shift when Blackwood finally blinked in the final over before tea, flailing a catch to Jos Buttler.

Woakes then made Shane Dowrich his 100th Test victim in 34 matches, and when Sam Curran won the fourth lbw of the day against Brooks it seemed decisive.

Stokes had one more moment before pain intervened, Alzarri Joseph chopping to point, and Bess rallied to spare England a nervy finish. He bowled Jason Holder and closed out the match at 6:15pm, courtesy of a superb short-leg grab by Ollie Pope.

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